This invention relates to a dry etching device for etching a specimen by the use of a gas plasma.
It is a recent trend that a dry etching device of the type described is used for semiconductor device fabrication instead of a sophisticated etching device using any etching solution. This is because no problem takes place in the dry etching device as regards waste lye disposal. Furthermore, it is possible to delineate fine patterns.
In "Digest of Technical Papers of the 11th Conference (1979 International) on Solid State Devices," (Tokyo, August 1979), p. 19, Hikou Shibayama et al. proposed a dry etching device comprising a chamber defining therein a hollow space, a first electrode grounded and placed in the hollow space, a second electrode opposite to the first electrode in the hollow space, and a floating grid placed between the first and the second electrodes and insulated therefrom. Specimens to be etched are placed on the second electrode. The hollow space is filled with a reactive gas after being exhausted. A voltage of a high frequency is applied between the first and the second electrodes. In this device, a high etch rate is accomplished by the use of the floating grid. However, it is difficult to electrically and controllably adjust the etch rate to a desired value except that the high frequency voltage is controlled. In addition, only a small number of specimens can be etched at one time with the device.